After the Supreme Court had called for a “change in mindset” regarding women officers in the Armed Forces, the Indian Government on Thursday issued an order for women officers to apply for permanent commission in the Indian Army. A spokesperson from the government issued a statement that gave the list of streams where women were eligible to apply for permanent commission. They are as follows: army air defence, signals, engineers, army aviation, electronics and mechanical engineers, army service corps, and Intelligence corps in addition to the existing streams of judge and advocate general and army educational corps.
This has been received with welcome, as, so far, only male SSC officers could apply for permanent commission at the end of 10 years of their service. This meant that they could not qualify for a government pension, and were not eligible for any command appointment.
The Indian Express reported that on February 17, the Supreme Court directed that women officers of the Indian Army, serving under Short Service Commission, be considered for grant of a Permanent Commission, irrespective of tenure of service, and also for command posts in non-combat areas since “an absolute bar on women seeking criteria or command appointments would not comport with the guarantee of equality under Article 14”.
Following this, in March, the SC cleared way for permanent commission to women in Indian Navy, saying “the battle for gender equality is about confronting the battles of the mind”. If granted Permanent Commission, women naval officers can serve till the age of retirement and will be entitled to pension.